Target support and method for ion production enhancement

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for use with a mass spectrometer. The ion production and enhancement system of the present invention is used to enhance analyte ions for ease of detection in a mass spectrometer. The method of the invention compromises producing and enhancing analyte ions with an ion production and enhancement system and detecting the enhanced analyte ions with a detector.

1 - 64 . (canceled)  
     
     
         65 . A matrix-based ion source comprising: 
 a heating device for supplying conductive or radiative heat to a target support.    
     
     
         66 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device is a conductive heating device.  
     
     
         67 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device is a radiative heating device.  
     
     
         68 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device contains an embedded heater.  
     
     
         69 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device contains a heated fluid.  
     
     
         70 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device is a hot plate.  
     
     
         71 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said heating device is a heated target support plate holder.  
     
     
         72 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said matrix based ion source is a matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) ion source.  
     
     
         73 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said matrix based ion source is an atmospheric pressure (AP) MALDI ion source.  
     
     
         74 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , wherein said matrix based ion source is a fast atom bombardment (FAB) ion source.  
     
     
         75 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , further comprising a target support.  
     
     
         76 . The matrix based ion source of  claim 65 , further comprising an ion collection capillary.  
     
     
         77 . A mass spectrometer system, comprising: 
 a) a matrix-based ion source comprising a heating device for supplying conductive or radiative heat to a target support;    b) a mass spectrometer downstream from said matrix-based ion source; and    c) an ion detector downstream from said mass spectrometer.    
     
     
         78 . The mass spectrometer system of  claim 77 , wherein said mass spectrometer system comprises a time of flight mass analyzer.  
     
     
         79 . The mass spectrometer system of  claim 77 , wherein said mass spectrometer system comprises an ion trap.  
     
     
         80 . The mass spectrometer system of  claim 77 , wherein said mass spectrometer system comprises an ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer.  
     
     
         81 . The mass spectrometer system of  claim 77 , wherein said mass spectrometer system comprises a quadrupole time-of-flight mass analyzer.  
     
     
         82 . A method for producing analyte ions using a matrix-based ion source, comprising: 
 heating a target support of said matrix-based ion source using conductive or radiative heat;    ionizing a sample in said matrix-based ion source to produce analyte ions; and    transporting said analyte ions out of said ion source.    
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein said ionizing employs a laser.  
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82 , further comprising transporting said analyte ions to a to an ion detector.